Sakura Cup by Takanori Urata

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DI: What is the main principle, idea and inspiration behind your design?

TU : I am the designer and president of a camping gear brand called sunsetclimax, and I created this cup as one of the sunsetclimax products. I designed this cup for campers, many of whom appreciate and enjoy nature, by making effective use of natural resources. This cup is made from rare thinned cherry trees, which are not easily caught even during the year.

DI: What has been your main focus in designing this work? Especially what did you want to achieve?

TU : We considered what shape would best express the beautiful grain of cherry wood in the simplest possible form. We also considered the shape to fit in your hand when you hold it. After much consideration, I came up with this design, which I believe is exactly what I had in mind.

DI: What are your future plans for this award winning design?

TU : I am already selling them under my brand sunsetclimax. My brand is very small, but I want to connect directly with users, so I sell only through direct sales. I have already received inquiries from many potential buyers, so I am currently working on production.

DI: How long did it take you to design this particular concept?

TU : The design itself took 1~2 months to decide on the direction, but after that, we work on finalizing the design while making various adjustments in discussions with the craftsmen and factories that will produce the product. It took about 5 years from the design I envisioned to the actual completion of the design I had in mind.

DI: Why did you design this particular concept? Was this design commissioned or did you decide to pursuit an inspiration?

TU : As I answered in the interview of 01, it is one of the products of my own brand, sunsetclimax, and I designed the cup.

DI: Is your design being produced or used by another company, or do you plan to sell or lease the production rights or do you intent to produce your work yourself?

TU : We produce and sell our own products. We are not considering wholesaling to other companies at this time, but will consider it depending on conditions.

DI: What made you design this particular type of work?

TU : There are many wooden cups in the world, We aimed to create a design that is unique. In the process of designing, When you use your hand to drink water There is a way to put both hands together to make the hand look like a vessel, The shape of the hands gave me an image of the shape of this cup. This design fits well when you wrap your hands around it.

DI: Where there any other designs and/or designers that helped the influence the design of your work?

TU : I have always been influenced by the designs of my mentor, Tokujin Yoshioka. It is not just about the shape of the appearance or the feel of the material, I am influenced by the process of realizing the design I have in mind. There are many difficulties before a design is completed. I learned from Tokujin Yoshioka the importance of overcoming these difficulties with a strong spirit.

DI: Who is the target customer for his design?

TU : Our main target is sunsetclimax users and campers.

DI: What sets this design apart from other similar or resembling concepts?

TU : Unique shape. The material used is rare thinned cherry trees. The woodworking factory in the prefecture where the cherry trees are harvested makes this product. The combination of these factors makes it different from other products.

DI: How did you come up with the name for this design? What does it mean?

TU : Simply, we named the raw material, cherry blossoms, SAKURA, which is the Japanese word for cherry blossom.

DI: Which design tools did you use when you were working on this project?

TU : handwritten sketch CAD handwritten sketch CAD 3D modeling software 3D Printer Prototype in wood Up to this point, we have been working on the design.

DI: What is the most unique aspect of your design?

TU : Central overhanging shape. This shape expresses the unique grain of the wood.

DI: Who did you collaborate with for this design? Did you work with people with technical / specialized skills?

TU : Located in Tochigi, Japan To a craftsman in a woodworking factory We asked for their cooperation in various ways to realize the ideal shape.

DI: What is the role of technology in this particular design?

TU : During the review phase, we repeated the prototyping process with a 3D printer, and at that point we were able to study the project in considerable detail, so I think we benefited from the advances in technology in that area.

DI: Is your design influenced by data or analytical research in any way? What kind of research did you conduct for making this design?

TU : When considering this design, the wooden cups on the market were well researched.

DI: What are some of the challenges you faced during the design/realization of your concept?

TU : This cup is carved from a block of cherry blossom. It took a lot of effort to create a beautiful, smooth finish.

DI: How did you decide to submit your design to an international design competition?

TU : I have previously applied for and won other international design awards. Winning an award is also a way for me to connect with myself, but most of all, it is a great pleasure for me to make my customers happy.

DI: What did you learn or how did you improve yourself during the designing of this work?

TU : Every time, The challenge is to not give up in order to achieve the ideal design.

DI: Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?

TU : A'DESIGN AWARD is a wonderful award that offers very generous support compared to other design awards, and you can sense the strong desire to spread good design to the world. I would like to continue to apply and challenge myself in the future.